NightFury7: Dramatic Goings on at the Creepy Abandoned Mall
by Ra-Ra-Crazy93
Summary: Urbex YouTuber Hiccup runs into some trouble and Jack has to save him. Modern AU, slash if you squint.
1. Chapter 1

**Another modern AU?! What is she thinking?!**  
 **So this is a HTTYD/ROTG crossover because we all love those right? At the moment, this is just a one-shot, but I might consider making it multi-chapter if I feel like I could carry it on. This is just a fluffy (ish) story that I basically concocted watching This Is Dan Bell's Dead Mall series (I'm obsessed, his voice is so soothing man, I listen to it at bedtime). Its a little OOC and there's more Hiccup than Jack, but eh. There's slash if you squint. Also, some bad language. Enjoy!**

Hiccup sat up from his bed with a sense of fervour, a mix of nervousness and excitement swirling in his stomach. He walked over to the other side of his room to pull on the large oversized parka coat that swamped his slight frame, and perched on his desk chair to slip on his shoes, tying the laces as quickly as his nimble fingers would allow. Peering over at the mirror, Hiccup adjusted the glasses on his face, brushing stray hair out of his eyes in the process. He still had the small braids that Astrid had plaited into his hair earlier in physics, the lesson clearly not engaging her, or anyone for that matter.

"I think that's everything", he said to himself as he nodded, checking that all his equipment was in his rucksack. Camera, battery pack, torch, gloves, mask. Glancing at his watch, the time read 11.26. His parents had been in bed for an hour, and Toothless, the family's pet Mastiff, was snoring at the foot of Hiccup's bed. Debating whether to leave it longer before he left, Hiccup considered that today's spot was a few miles out of town, and therefore needed some time dedicated to figuring out his way in.

Hiccup was an urban explorer, and his parents were completely oblivious. It had started when he was 12, when he figured out that he could sneak into the disused bits of the water park the family went to. He was caught by security, but rather than being told off, he was given a history lesson instead, which only escalated his imagination. Hiccup loved history and figuring out the stories about how certain places became abandoned or disused. It was certainly fascinating. Every evening was spent online, finding about cool spots that had been abandoned; old houses, theatres, malls, cinemas, everything. His mind wandered about the prospect of every building he had been in being abandoned one day, and what kind of mark would be left behind.

Five years after the water park event, the urbex had become a double life. In the day, Hiccup was a conscientious student at Berk High, with good grades, a small circle of friends and a shy demeanour. He was pleasant but unremarkable, never getting involved with sports or drama and never wanting the limelight. To him, it seemed like it was a redundant activity, wanting to be self-centred and famous. Who wants to be scrutinised?

At night, however, Hiccup became the username NightFury7, a popular YouTuber and blogger who explored the creepiest abandoned locations he could find. He never showed his face, never gave out his name, and never named where he was visiting, but for Hiccup, he liked the thrill of having people react so passionately to his content. He liked to scare the shit out of people, and he got a buzz with every YouTube comment telling him that this had been accomplished. Hiccup wondered whether this made him somewhat sadistic. There was definitely a side of him that could thrive on the discomfort of others, even though he completely enjoyed helping others too. Of course, his blogs were also full of tips and friendly advice. One such advice he would give regularly was to not go alone in case something untoward happened.

Hiccup had very nearly cancelled his trip this evening because Ruff and Tuff, the twins who often accompanied him, had dropped out to attend a family outing. This seemed fair enough, but Hiccup couldn't help but be disappointed. He really wanted to go to this location. It was a mall that had been abandoned a few years back and was just on the cusp of demolition. If they didn't go soon, it would be too late, and Hiccup knew that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he missed this opportunity. He glanced down at his phone, pulling the sleeves of his coat up, and noticed the reply from Astrid about whether she wanted to come with him: "No."

Just as he was about to return the phone to his pocket, it buzzed again with another message. Hiccup rolled his eyes, not expecting anything less from his friend and her somewhat aggressive stance on the matter.

"You better not be planning on going alone Hiccup. What if you get hurt?". He sighed, tapping a response quite furiously.

"I can look after myself Astrid. I'll only be in there for half an hour, if that. If you're so bothered, I'll call you when I get home". Sending the message, the teen waited for a few moments before receiving a response.

"Fine. But if anything happens, I'll kill you". Hiccup snorted, pulling a green woolly hat over his head. His mum had made it for him when he was younger, and after a recent sort out of his room, he had discovered a new fondness for the old garment. It was cold outside too, possibly icy, and abandoned buildings generally weren't warm. The hat almost completely covered his auburn hair, with only a few wispy strands sticking out at the ends. His glasses balanced at the end of his nose, so he readjusted them again. He mentally added that perhaps it was time to buy some new ones.

Hiccup slung his rucksack over his shoulders, which woke up Toothless. The large dog started wagging his tail rapidly, presumably believing that his owner wearing a large coat translated into "walk!". Hiccup contemplated taking Toothless with him, but decided against it. It would be too dangerous, with glass and debris everywhere. Instead, he stroked the top of his head to soothe his pet.

"I'll be back soon bud."

Switching off his lamp, he crept downstairs, grabbed his keys from the fruit bowl by the backdoor, and slowly shuffled outside and into his car. Breathing for a few moments, he observed the upstairs to make sure that no lights were being switched on, and that his parents hadn't noticed he was gone. He had done this many times before, and so far he hadn't been caught. Having a car made it easier in some ways. Hiccup reasoned that if he was caught, he could tell them that he was taking a drive because he couldn't sleep. Confident that he hadn't woken them up, he flung the heavy bag onto the passenger seat and turned on the radio. Some relationships hotline was on, with a man discussing his erectile disfunction, so he skipped onto a music station that was playing clubhouse tunes. Hiccup decided that this would do, and drove off onto the dark streets.

The drive felt quite leisurely. Usually it was packed in the centre of town, but hardly anybody was on the roads tonight. As it was a weeknight in winter, the usually heavily lit and heavily populated town centre was dead. There was nobody about, and only the occasional car and lorry greeted Hiccup's on the road. Hiccup relaxed into his seat as he formulated an action plan. He had read online about how to get into the mall, but these places were often frequented by police trying to block entrances off. The tinge of nervousness that he had felt previously became all the more potent. He knew that going alone was a pretty bad idea, and yet he felt as if a magnetic force was attracting him to it. He needed to go and see for himself, and he needed to make the video.

The clock said 12.03, which Hiccup felt was too early, so he pulled in at a 24-hour McDonald's in town. He suddenly felt a pang of hunger that, in his agitation, he felt that he may have been supressing. Although not a big fast food eater, he felt that this would be a momentous occasion, so he ordered a meal and a coffee and sat down with his food, munching away ravenously as he saw which of his friends were active online; none of them were. Hiccup thought that he'd better send a text to Astrid informing her that he was heading in shortly but had stopped for some food first. She didn't reply, so he assumed that she must be asleep already; it was a school night after all. Instead, he scrolled through Reddit, reading something funny to keep his good spirits in check. He decided to leave at around 1, as that left sufficient time for exploring.

An hour after arriving, where he mulled things over for a bit whilst ordering another coffee with his meal, Hiccup left the McDonald's. The cool air hit his face and he wrapped his coat against his body, watching his breath escape and condensation forming on his glasses. Ignoring the discomfort, he got back into his car, determined to complete the mission that he set out for himself. Whacking both the heating and the radio onto full blast, he drove another ten minutes before reaching the old abandoned remains of the mall.

Burgess Mall towered over its empty parking lot, with its boarded-up windows and creepy entrance sign with the LED's flickering eerily despite being unoccupied for years. Getting out of his vehicle and slinging his rucksack over his shoulders, Hiccup admired the building. It was built in the 1970's, and the architecture was reminiscent of that period. As he got closer to the entrance, however, he noticed more things that were completely out of place. Glass littered the floor, and the entrance doors were completely barricaded. There had to be another way in.

Hiccup paced quickly around to the other end of the building, finally finding an open door into the building via an old staff entrance. He smiled to himself at how easy this was to find. Too easy. He figured that the building wouldn't be that mouldy as it had only closed a few years ago, so he didn't bother with his mask. Instead, he pulled his torch and his camera out, and he started to record. As he entered the first room, a service area, the pungent mix of mould and ammonia hit him. This was not the first place he had visited with this smell though. Listening out for any noises, Hiccup could hear nothing but his own heartbeat, and decided to proceed.

He climbed the staircase, and grabbed the handrail, some of which had been scrapped for the metal. The floor was dusty, with faint safety lines still vaguely visible. On the top of the corridor was a heavy door, which Hiccup feverishly opened, one hand still holding the camera whilst the other was doing all of the work. He came out into what appeared to be an abandoned shopping lot, with glass littering the floor and dusty old checkout desks propped up against the wall. He gasped, taking in the surroundings. The walls had old music posters that were slowly disintegrating and fading, and Hiccup figured that he must be in the old music store. He had been a couple of times with his mum when they went out of town to shop. Burgess Mall was a stop they visited from time to time before it closed.

Stepping out of the old unit and into the main mall area, an air of dread sunk into the pit of Hiccup's stomach. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was off. He spun round suddenly, thinking that he could have heard someone speak. After a moment, he figured it was just a rat scurrying along. He kept on walking, filming as much of his surroundings as possible. He was on the first floor of the mall, and the large open plan space looked magnificent in the moonlight shining through the glass ceiling. Down below, he could see planters and benches, all knocked over and thrown around, and straight ahead were more empty units, some more neglected than others. Hiccup decided to take a left. As he reached the other end of the aisle, he thought he could hear voices again. This time, he froze, heart beating fast, lips going slowly dry.

"Hello?", Hiccup called out after a pregnant pause. No reply. Hiccup remained frozen on the spot, looking to his left and then to his right. He couldn't see anyone or anything. It was just an animal, his imagination…

He heard it again. Whispers, hurried ones, came out of an indeterminate area, followed by footsteps. Hiccup knew that he wasn't alone. He tried to rationalise with himself that they were probably just fellow explorers. It probably wasn't anyone that wanted to hurt him, or anyone else. After all, he wanted that companionship. Then, the footsteps got louder. Hiccup couldn't breathe. He needed to run. Just run. Run!

He turned around and started sprinting to the unit he came from, not concerning himself with his environment. Had he paid attention, he would have noticed that the floor was slippery from the water. Just before the music shop, Hiccup lost his footing and skidded across the edge of the bannister, falling a storey onto the lower mall. As he braced himself for impact, he reminded himself that Astrid had told him that it was a stupid idea. He hit the floor, and everything went black.

The first thing Hiccup noticed was the searing pain in both of his legs, and in his head. He opened his eyes slowly, and initially thought that he had fallen asleep outside as the moon was shining over him. The pungent smell hit him, however, and Hiccup realised that he was in an abandoned building. Gradually collecting his memories through the fog, he deducted that he must be at Burgess Mall as planned, and that he needed to get out, but when he went to lift his head, pain and disorientation hit him like bullet to the brain and he squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the discomfort to subside. After what seemed like forever, Hiccup opened his eyes again and took a deep breath. He checked every muscle. He couldn't move his head. He couldn't move his legs either, so walking was out of the question. He could move his arms though, and his rucksack, torch and camera were all splayed out next to him. Hiccup could smell the tang of blood; he knew something was bleeding but he didn't know what. He did know that if he lost too much blood, that he would die, and he didn't really want to die.

Fumbling into the pockets of his parka, Hiccup pulled out his phone. The impact had smashed the screen, and he let out a groan of irritation-it was a brand new phone. He also clocked that the time was 2.46. He had no idea how long he had been lying there. There were messages, but Hiccup noticed his glasses had fallen down his chin and so he couldn't read it without adjusting them. When he was finally able to see what he had been sent, his heart sunk.

1.30am: "You said you'd only spend half an hour in there. Hope you aren't lying to me."

1.47am: "Come on Hic, stop messing around. Get out of there."

2.03am: "HICCUP! Answer your messages FFS!"

2.24am: "What's going on? I'm getting worried now."

2.40am: "Hiccup if you don't reply soon I'm calling the police."

He had promised Astrid that he would let her know when he was safe and at home, and that promise hadn't been kept. The one time he went alone, and shit happened. If the police came to find him, it was game over; he would be arrested for trespassing, his parents would be mad, and his channel would have to stop. The channel was his life, his alter-ego; Hiccup didn't know what he would do if he couldn't be that alter-ego. On the other hand, the other option was potential death, and he didn't want that either. He didn't know what to tell Astrid, and his fingers circled for a response. He felt a pang of light headiness and he groaned.

Hiccup never answered that text, because he passed out again. Fortunately for him, someone else noticed the boy lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

Jackson Overland couldn't sleep, so he had decided to go to one of his old haunts, Burgess Mall. He would hang out with his friends there, disobeying authority and being generally anti-social. Jack was the type of boy who would set fire to things for the fun of it, but he never wanted to actually hurt anyone, so he made sure that his illicit activities were done where they were undetected and away from people who could be caught in the crossfire. Jack knew the mall like the back of his hand, and he dismissed the rustling as yet another urban explorer getting their kicks. He laughed at the thought; there was nothing creepy about a rotting old building with some shops in it. Its not like anyone died or whatever stupid conspiracy was circulating.

He paced the slippery lino floor, his trainers wearing out with each step and his baggy blue hoodie collecting more and more dirt by the second. He held his hands inside his pockets to keep them warm, as it was ridiculously cold out there. He had earbuds in his ears and was playing some weird shit that Aster had put onto his Spotify playlist for a laugh. Jack made the most of the absurdity and bopped his head up and down to the music, his wispy white hair flopping over his forehead. He was having too much fun with this, and he knew Aster would be pissed if he was enjoying it. Jack thought about the prospect of not going to school tomorrow, which wouldn't be a first, but he figured that his parents might kill him, so he opted to turn around. It was then, in the glinting moonlight, he noticed a body.

"Holy shit!", Jack screamed, rushing over to the figure on the floor. A boy his age, wearing a woolly hat and a big coat, was laid against the ground. There was blood covering his hat, turning the floor crimson, a head injury. Jack's heart dropped even further when he saw the boys legs, both mangled and definitely broken. He deducted that he must have fallen and tried to land on his feet, but had whacked his head on a planter on the way down.

Jack had no idea about how to administer First Aid, apart from what he had seen on hospital dramas on the TV, but he knew that he had to check if he was breathing. Leaning down, he noticed that it was shallow. This boy needed an ambulance, right now. Shaking, Jack reached over to his hands, where a phone had slid out. A message lit up on the screen from someone called Astrid, as well as two missed calls:

"Hiccup, please answer the phone. I'm scared."

Without hesitation, Jack rang Astrid back, praying she would answer. He had no idea who this girl was and what relation she was to Hiccup, as he had established that this was the boys name. After a second of dialling, the phone was picked up.

"Hiccup thank goodness…what the hell were you doing?!". Jack sucked in a deep breath, before formulating a response.

"Hi, I don't know you, but my names Jack…I'm with your friend and he's really hurt…um, can you call an ambulance please?". Jack realised how lame he probably sounded and recounted the words in his head, but within seconds, Astrid starting shouting down the phone.

"What do you mean, really hurt?! Where is he? What's wrong with him?!"

Jack cursed, feeling like he was having to explain something to someone who was born yesterday.

"I mean, as in, he's unconscious and he's hit his head kind of hurt". Jack gritted his teeth at response and immediately regretted how angry he sounded. "I'll call an ambulance, I just thought you needed to know as you were clearly concerned." There was a short pause.

"I'm coming to the mall right now", Astrid responded curtly, and she hung up the phone. Remembering where he was, Jack frantically called for an ambulance, terrified at the prospect of ringing for help. The last time he had to do it was when his brother had a heart attack when he was 9, and he had never been so frightened. Jack didn't even know this guy, but he was so pale. His instinct was to hold his hand to reassure him,

"I need an ambulance please, at Burgess Mall. Someone is unconscious, he's bleeding real bad from his head and I think his legs are broken too. Yes, he's breathing. Yes, I'm aware the building is abandoned." Jack rolled his eyes at the many prying questions being asked by the operator, never losing sight of Hiccup in front of him. Hiccup's breathing was getting laboured, and his skin was getting whiter by the second. Jack brushed his thumb gently across his eyebrows, being careful not to move his head. He thought the kid was pretty cute; freckles and a button nose, and glasses that were sliding down his face.

"I've got you. It's going to be okay". Jack found himself cooing softly, kneeling on the floor and making sure Hiccup felt like someone, anyone was there. He wondered whether his parents knew that he was out, and why he was bothering to film a mall, of all places. It seemed really redundant and stupid to Jack. Why were some people willing to risk their lives just to film something cool? He just didn't understand it. He gripped Hiccup's hand tighter. His friend (Jack assumed) was on her way, and in a few hours' time, his parents will find that their son is missing. The school will ask questions and the police will want to know why he was there too. Looking at the boy's face, so vulnerable and youthful looking, Jack didn't think that Hiccup was ready to face all of this scrutiny.

As the wailing sirens of ambulances could be heard on the outside of the building, Jack figured that his late night walking had resulted in something useful. He felt like Hiccup was going to be okay, and he never even had to know it was him. Jack should of walked, but he didn't. He was going to stay right here with the boy until the end, and nothing was going to change his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Heyy!**

 **So I decided to carry this on, because why not? I have a lot of ideas of where I can go for this fic, and I really had a fun time writing this chapter out. Its a little disjointed, but I hope you all like it!**

Jack checked his phone: 10.32am. He supposed he should be in school, but the events of the last eight hours had been dramatic to say the least, and it seemed like everyone wanted to talk to him. He guessed that this is what a celebrity felt like. Sat with him was his father, Pitch, who had to act as an appropriate adult during Jack's police questioning. There were no charges pressed, despite the trespassing, and they even commended him for his swift actions, but Pitch remained unmoved. Jack could tell he was disappointed and silently seething over his behaviour. He had just arrived home, and bed was calling, but right now he didn't feel in the mood. He felt like he needed to get what he had just experienced out into the open. He leaned back, and reflected on the night he had just had.

The paramedics and police had to break in through a barricaded entrance to get to Jack and Hiccup, causing some alarm and lots of noise. When they finally reached the scene, Jack was shoved quickly out of the way as a myriad of medical staff swarmed over the other boy. He overheard lots of frantic medical terminology as he was escorted by a police officer away.

"He's lost a lot of blood, he needs a transfusion."

"We need a neck brace, looks like a possible fractured skull. He'll need a CT ASAP."

"Compound fractures in his legs, we need to stabilise the wounds."

Jack watched as the patient was hurried away on a stretcher, and thought about Astrid. He knew that she was coming. Sure enough, when he stepped outside, a teenage girl with long blonde hair was arguing with an officer.

"He's my best friend, I need to be with him! I need to go with him! Please, he's like my brother, I know him better than anyone, he'll be so scared on his own!". Astrid was frantic, her hands running through her hair. She spun around as Hiccup was being stretchered into the ambulance, and ran towards her friend as if she hadn't seen him in centuries.

"HICCUP! Oh my god please no! Please be okay!". The girl jumped into the back of the ambulance to be with her friend, and Jack thought that something seemed odd. It was evident to him that this girl was usually strong-willed and stoic, and yet right now, she had turned into a bit of a wreck. There was definite fear in her voice and her face looked strained as if she hadn't slept for days. Jack stroked his chin at the observation but was soon taken out of his thoughts when the officer shook his shoulder.

"I think you ought to get checked up too, lad, it must have been quite a shock", the kindly policeman suggested to Jack. Jack thought about it for a second, realising that he did feel quite strange. It was all an adrenaline rush, and now that help was here, his mind starting wondering into negative territory. What else could he have done? What if he hadn't found him? _What if?_ After a pause, he nodded his head. "Okay then, but let me ring my friend first."

Jack felt slightly guilty about waking Aster up in the small hours, but he figured needs must. The phone dialed five times before a very grumpy Australian accent rattled through the phone's speakers: "What do you want Jack?"

"Um…", Jack really didn't know what to say exactly, because the situation seemed bizarre to him, "Well I went for a walk at the old mall again like we do sometimes." He could sense that Aster was irritated, as he didn't offer a response to this statement. "And, as I was about to leave, I found someone who was hurt, and I called an ambulance, and now I'm going to the hospital. Like, I'm okay! But the guy I found is…not okay." The image of Hiccup's pale face and bloodied head flashed through Jack's mind at that moment. Aster seemed to have read it, and he paused for a few moments as he tried to formulate a response.

"Are you sure you're okay? You need to tell your dad, Jack they're going to have you mate, going to the mall late at night!". Jack knew that Aster was right, but he didn't want to think about what the police were going to do right this second. He heard Aster sigh down the phone. "Look Jack, get yourself seen to, I'll talk to your folks. Let me know how you get on."

"Okay", Jack replied lamely before hanging up. He got into the ambulance with Astrid and Hiccup, perching against the sides as the paramedics worked on the other male. Nobody said a word through that trip. Astrid held her friend's hand and watched over him with an anguished look on her face. Jack didn't think he'd ever seen someone so vulnerable. Hiccup was already hooked up to a heart monitor and oxygen. Jack guessed that he was regaining some colour in his face, but there was no indication of him waking up. He lay still, mouth slightly open, hair fallen over his face. A plastic bag lay on the floor of the ambulance with Hiccup's belongings; his rucksack, glasses, phone and a now crimson hat. Jack wondered whether the camera that was at his side was recording whilst he had fallen and was still recording now. He supposed he should have mentioned it to the paramedic, but he didn't want to break the silence. They reached the hospital after what seemed like forever, and Hiccup was whisked away immediately.

"Why can't I go with him?", Astrid whispered, seemingly completed exhausted and defeated. She looked up longingly at the paramedic, who responded flatly, "let us take care of him first. Your friend is very poorly and we can't have people just hanging about. Also, the police will want to speak to both of you."

Hiccup sensed that there was something not quite right about his surroundings. He could hear buzzing noises but couldn't figure out what it was. It was mechanical noises rather than naturistic ones. There were voices above him too, but again he couldn't distinguish what anyone was saying, nor did he recognise any of them. One voice was very soothing though, a female, and he knew whoever she was, she was close by. Immediately, a heavy ache permeated his body, and his mind felt foggy, like he was swimming in a dark ocean, trying to clamber onto something to stay afloat. He imagined that he was on a ship or something, because everything was so dizzying, he felt sick.

Hiccup tried to check his muscles, like he did without much thought, but nothing was moving. His body ached and yet, at the same time, it felt disconnected, like he couldn't feel a thing. He panicked that maybe he was being held down, and perhaps he'd been kidnapped and was on a literal ship. That would explain the thoughts about the ocean and trying to swim in it. But there were no kidnapping pirates in Berk, right? I mean, its nowhere near an ocean. The air he tasted was so…clinical. And artificial. There was no salt of the sea to be tasted, and Hiccup had been to the beach plenty of times in his childhood.

Slowly, he felt his body drift off again, and he lost consciousness within moments of regaining it.

"So, firstly, I need you both to tell me everything you know about what happened tonight". A younger female doctor had pulled both Astrid and Jack for a chat. They both that this would not be the first time that they'd have to recount their versions of events, so they figured that they better get their stories straight. The doctor noticed the hesitation, so she continued talking. "I don't need the full ins and outs, but we need to know what happened to Hiccup exactly, and we need any information on why he was where he was. We've managed to contact his parents and his doctor, so the medical background can be completed by them."

Astrid glanced over at Jack, who shrugged. The reality was that nobody knew _exactly_ what had happened. They could make educated guesses, but neither of them were actually there. Astrid was the first to speak.

"Hiccup likes to do urban exploration. He goes into abandoned buildings and stuff and takes videos and photos of what he's found. He usually goes with friends but tonight…he didn't". She trailed off her speech and glanced down at the floor, feeling guilty. She should have agreed to go with her friend, even if it was just to reiterate that it was a stupid idea. The doctor raised an eyebrow and noted this information down.

"It sounds to me like he's quite the thrill seeker, then", the doctor stated. Astrid scowled slightly, shaking her head. "Not really. He likes the history of it, but he's really pretty quiet and keeps to himself." The doctor tapped on her desk with her pen, looking at the other female straight in the eye.

"If he just likes the history, why does he feel the need to put himself in danger?". Astrid averted her glance from the doctor, who leaned back into her desk. "Do his parents know that this is what he gets up to? Because they sounded extremely distressed on the phone, they had no idea that he'd left the house this evening. His behaviour is very dangerous, as has been evidenced tonight, and I need to establish why he feels the need to engage in this behaviour."

Astrid had no answer for that question. She personally felt that Hiccup's hobby was unusual and a little suicidal. Then again, she never thought that anything bad would happen. He was usually so hot on safety, always telling his viewers and readers to go in groups, always tell someone where you're going. At least Hiccup had told Astrid where he was going, not that it helped all that much.

Jack piped up, interrupting Astrid's thoughts. "I go walking in that mall because it's peaceful and there's no one there. That doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with me or Hiccup. Some people just like the quiet. For the record, I have no idea what exactly happened, but if I had to speculate, I would say he fell from a height and hit his head on one of the planters". The doctor nodded slowly, comprehending what Jack had just told her.

"Yes, well. I would say your speculation is quite correct given the injuries he has sustained. What we need to determine also though is whether he fell over the banister, or was pushed over it." A puzzled look passed over Astrid and Jack's eyes. _Pushed?_

"So you're saying, that they think this could be a crime scene? An attempted murder or an attack or something?", Astrid asked slowly. The doctor nodded. "Potentially, yes."

Hiccup could hear the voices again. This time though, he could understand some of the words. Its as if it was all in a foreign language before and it had suddenly been partially translated. With all his might, he listened as intently as he could, ignoring the dull ache that surrounded his body still. The stabbing pains were gone, but the foggy head still remained. He could hear the mechanical sounds again, and light behind his eyes, but when he tried to open them, they were heavy and sore.

Gradually, he started to piece some of the sentences. " _The surgery was a success.."_ … _"We don't know what the complete effects on his brain will be"_ … _"You may need to adapt your home so he can get around"…_

Hiccup wondered who they were talking about. Surgery…brains…getting around? And then, the reality of the situation started to hit him, as vague memories started to trickle back. Getting into his car. Going to the mall. Falling.

As he drifted off, the last emotion that he could recall was fear.

Jack and Astrid hardly said a word to each other as they waited to be interviewed by police. They had no idea what was coming for them, and worse still, Jack could be charged. Jack had skirted with the law many a time, but he'd never actually been caught. Astrid, on the other hand, was much more occupied by how unwell Hiccup looked when he was rushed to the emergency room. She felt angry because he risked his life for something so purposeless, and frightened because she had started to consider the possibility that he could be permanently injured. Hiccup was young and healthy, she rationalised to herself. He'll get through anything.

Jack coughed and rested his head against the wall. His usually pristine white hair looked messy and unkempt, and there were noticeable bags under his eyes. He looked over at Astrid and realised that he recognised her from somewhere. He didn't think she went to his high school, but there was something…

"So…Berk High athletics?", Jack asked in a much more cheerful manner than he anticipated. She looked over at him wryly and raised her eyebrow. "Heh, yeah. Burgess?", she replied. Jack nodded in response. The two schools were in competition with each other, and both Astrid and Jack were athletic. Jack had seen Astrid around, in locker rooms after competitions, and hanging out in the sports hall after an event. He recalled that she had been the centre of some attention during that event, hair neatly in a French plait and slender body in a tight-fitting t-shirt and yoga pants. Right now, she looked exhausted, blonde hair tied messily in a ponytail and baggy jeans and a grey hoodie pulled over pajamas. There was still something intrinsically pretty about her though. Jack could see why she would garner the attention of the other boys.

"I'm not just about athletics, you know", Astrid said quietly, holding her knees as she sat up on the uncomfortable plastic chair. "Hiccup and I do a lot of engineering projects together. I'm going to do a mechanical engineering degree when I finish high school." She offered the other boy a small smile, internally suppressing an irritant inside her. She assumed that he was thinking about her appearance and her domineering presence, like so many other men before him. Truth be told, Astrid was pretty sick of people assuming that she was some high school it girl. She took care of her appearance, but there were more important things. She liked school and athletics, science and mechanics, wild animals and singing. She prided herself on being well rounded, and more than anything she was loyal to her friends.

Astrid thought about when she had first met Hiccup. It was the first day of middle school, and he was sat alone at the lunch table, constructing something intricate with the straws and packaging. Ignoring the girls who wanted to adopt her into their posse, she instead went over to the lonely boy in the corner. He hardly said a word to her, and yet Astrid found him endlessly fascinating. He didn't respond to the playground bullying that some of the other kids subjected him to, nor did he seem particularly interested in a large circle of friends either. He seemed happy to be focused on school and his own projects. After a few more days of Astrid sitting with him for lunch without many words being passed, Hiccup started to share with her the things he was building and planning. He had a mind like no other she had met before, and nobody, especially not the silly cliques she was expected to be involved with, could match it. Hiccup introduced her to a world of creativity, art, and physics, and she had remained involved in that world ever since.

For Jack, things couldn't have been more different. He lived a life of popularity and acquaintances. Unfortunately for Jack, he had recently started to make enemies. All of the gossiping and silly squabbles would do that. Sometimes, he could be the king of maturity and set his sights on some amazing things. Other times, he was 17 going on 7. Jack and Astrid would make an extraordinary unlikely pairing if it wasn't for the situation that had allowed the two of them to meet each other at the height of vulnerability.

"Uh…my number", Jack said, and he passed a scrap of paper to the girl next to him. Astrid eyed him up suspiciously, and sensing the awkwardness, Jack straightened up. "It's nothing romantic…honestly. I just want to know how Hiccup is, you know…if I don't see you guys again." Astrid paused, weighing up whether to accept the number or not, but she decided to, nodding her head slowly, and whispering "thanks" in a nonchalant manner. All they could do was await their questioning, and it would be a shame to leave on bad terms.

Hiccup's eyes were not cooperating. He could feel his body being roused once again, and whilst there was a dull, heavy ache all over, this time it seemed bearable. He felt almost like he was in orbit, and yet there was a heavy lead holding him onto the floor…or bed, he figured. It was soft. The voices from last time were gone, but the mechanical noises were still there. This was no cliché. _"I'm in a hospital_ ", he thought to himself.

Fighting the soreness of his eyes, he opened them the best he could. He was in a very cold and clinical looking room, with white walls and what seemed like glass windows to the side. Peering down, he could see that he had no end of needles in his arms and hands, some bandaged up, and some connected to what he thought must be drips. What alarmed him more, however, were his legs; they were in heavy braces, with large casts on. Hiccup had no idea what had happened, but somehow, he had broken both of his legs.

Not a moment later, a woman with a white coat and clipboard strolled in and smiled slightly at her patient. "It's good to see you awake Hiccup. Do you remember what happened?", she asked in an unenthusiastic manner. The boy thought hard, realising that he didn't actually remember much at all. Getting into the car, going to the mall, getting into the mall…and not much else. Falling. He was falling, but of what, he couldn't remember. "I was in Burgess Mall and I fell off something", he replied finally. The doctor nodded her head, tapping a pen annoyingly onto her clipboard.

"Your actions were incredibly dangerous, and if you hadn't been found, you would have almost certainly died. I must advise you never to put yourself in that position again, and I would think that the police will have words to say to you also." Hiccup looked away as best he could without straining his throbbing head. He was in some deep shit. The doctor continued. "The boy that found you is being questioned as we speak, did he go with you?". A puzzled look emerged on the patients face. Hiccup certainly didn't go with anyone, and he told her so.

"Well, anyway", the female continued on. Hiccup was starting to feel very uncomfortable about this conversation. "You have two compound fractures in your legs, your left tibia and right fibula, as well as a fractured ankle. You also have two cracked ribs and a cracked skull. The good news is that we can see no signs of obvious brain damage on the CT scan, although you should be warned that this might still occur. The bad news is that you won't be able to walk for quite some time, Mr Haddock." Hiccup frowned, taking in the information. Won't be able to walk? "How long for?", he asked lamely. The doctor sighed. "It's hard to say. Certainly, you'll be wheelchair bound for at least three months, probably longer. You'll be on a course of antibiotics and we'll be suggesting some physiotherapy to get you on your feet again, but there is a possibility that you won't regain the mobility you had before now. Unfortunately, it's a long road to recovery."

And with that, Hiccup's life changed forever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay it's been literally forever since I updated this story, but you know what? I've got this! I'm not 100% sure where I'm going to go, but all I've been thinking about today is directions I can take this thing in. I hope you stick with the ride as I'm pretty much on it again.**

Hiccup was bored. It was amazing, he thought to himself, how much we took mobility for granted. He had been in the hospital before when he had had his appendix out as a 13-year-old, but his entertainment had come from people watching and exploring the buildings when nobody was watching. He had been moved from the intensive care unit where he had awoken after surgery and into a ward with his own room, so even though he enjoyed the privacy, there was even less to look at.

He had been lectured by everyone. The police had come in for a statement and cautioned him for trespassing. His parents had come in and his dad had to work very hard not to shout at his son over how much danger he had put himself in. His doctor, who he now knew as Doctor King, was continuing to give him stern and irritated looks, as if he had caused her a great deal of hardship. They only had to pin his legs back in place, he thought to himself irritably, he hadn't killed anyone. Hiccup thought it was all very guilt trippy and stupid.

He groaned as a familiar twinge of pain shot down his side. The painkillers he was on were so strong they had to be given in small and spaced out doses, so he would spend a couple of hours on cloud nine and another couple of hours in absolute agony, unable to move. The painkillers were starting to wear off, and he knew he only had half an hour or so before he would he would be gritting his teeth under the covers and wishing that he'd never woken up. Doctor King had suggested distraction techniques, so he went to turn the TV on. There was some baking show, a talk show, a sitcom rerun…but nothing he fancied. Sighing, he settled on the talk show. There was a very confrontational host who was giving a deadbeat father a verbal beating down. Sitting up as best as he could, he reached for his glasses so he could see the screen better.

As the pain started to engulf his body, his mind started wandering onto the mysterious person that had called an ambulance for him. He had initially thought it would be a homeless person, but a homeless person probably wouldn't have had a phone to hand and the old mall really wasn't near any shop or restaurant that would have been open at 2am. He also guessed that it could have been another urban explorer, which would have explained why he had heard voices. The shouting on the screen continued, and Hiccup slumped back into the pillow, feeling glum. He shut his eyes to try and subside the pain in his body, and started counting to himself. His mother always told him to count sheep when he was trying to sleep, and sleep was the only way out of the aching that he could feel. At some point, he managed to drift off, the confrontational TV show still blaring.

Astrid strolled down the corridor of the overly clean smelling hospital ward that she had been directed onto by a rather snooty receptionist. She had been back at school today and had to take a barrage of questions from friends, teachers and people she didn't even know asking about what had happened to Hiccup, and how was he? As soon as the bell had gone, she had slung her heavy rucksack onto her back and made her way over to the hospital as quickly as she could. She thought it was pretty ironic how people suddenly seemed interested in her friend. Hiccup was quiet and kept a small circle of friends around. He was never really the fodder of any drama at school, until now:

"Did you hear what happened to Hiccup Haddock? So weird right?"

"I heard someone pushed him off, there was like a dozen police officers there."

"Nah, I bet he jumped off or something. He always looks so miserable. I wouldn't want to be that guy."

"Why would he be in Burgess Mall? That place has, like, zombies in it or something."

Astrid hoped that Hiccup wouldn't be too mad at her for waiting a day to go and visit, but his mum, Valka, had told her that he hadn't been long out of surgery and spent much of the day sleeping, so visiting would have been pointless anyway. Astrid had a lot of respect for Valka; a tall, bewildered looking women, she was quiet like her son, but could be fierce and confrontational when her boundaries were crossed, and she always felt it important that her beliefs and values were stuck to. The Haddock household was strict, but it was also full of creativity and mutual respect. It was a family unit to be admired.

Astrid reached the room number she needed and hesitated a little. She suddenly felt a dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach, and realised she was scared of seeing her friend who had ended up in such a vulnerable position. She had always been the strong one, but this was a challenge. Sighing, she pushed the door open, and smiled awkwardly at the sight in front of her. Hiccup was lying in bed, snoring away, with his glasses sliding down his nose. A large gauze bandage was wrapped around his head, and he had drips sticking out of his arms, but the main ailment was the two very heavy-looking, elevated casts on his legs. Astrid decided at this point that she was absolutely going to kill him, but at least he was alive. Leaning over her friend, she pushed the oversized glasses up the bridge of his nose, and Hiccup's eyes fluttered open, seemingly roused from a light sleep.

"You really need a new pair of glasses", Astrid said in a deadpan manner, offering a small smile on a face that looked more relieved than happy. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Well, you know, it just goes too well with my uber-geek look", he replied sarcastically. He trailed off at the last word and winced slightly, squeezing his eyes shut. Astrid felt a pang of concern; she knew that he did this when he was in pain, and she figured that not a lot could be more painful than two fractured legs. "You okay Hiccup?", she asked, already knowing the answer. "It…hurts", came the response. The feeling of guilt flooded again. Her best friend was in pain and she couldn't help him, and that was a dreadful feeling.

"I'm gonna go get the nurse, Hiccup. You look terrible." Astrid said nervously, but Hiccup swatted his hand away. "There's no point Astrid. I'm on the highest dosage they can give me, I just have to put up with it". Astrid hesitated a second, before sighing and pulling up one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs from the other side of the room. She sat on her knees, so she could speak to her friend directly, and Hiccup turned to face her as much as his body would allow, wispy hair sticking to his pale skin and glasses once again sliding down his nose. He stared at his friend with an air of fearfulness; he knew she was pissed off at his reckless behaviour, and honestly, he was angry at himself too. Astrid folded her arms and bit her cheek, eyes looking upwards as if she was formulating a response. She looked particularly nice today, Hiccup thought, in a tight crimson skate dress, leggings, black boots and hair in a neat Dutch braid.

"So…", Astrid said finally, after what seemed like minutes. "What happened in there, Hiccup?". Hiccup groaned slightly, having been asked this question several times already. "I don't really know. I remember going in and hearing some noises, and I fell a floor, but I don't remember anything else". Astrid nodded slowly, looking directly into the fearful green eyes of her friend. "And….do you know who Jack Overland is?", she said, much more hesitantly this time. Hiccup did know who this person was-he was apparently the good Samaritan that saved his ass in the mall-but he didn't know him personally.

"Yeah, he's the guy who saved me isn't he?". Astrid nodded again, smirking a little. "He's nice. Blond hair, super tall. Boyfriend material", she chuckled. "He goes to Burgess though. Can't have that riff-raff about." Hiccup smiled and rolled his eyes; it'd be nice to meet Jack sometime, if anything else just to thank him. Another wave of pain hit him, and he slammed his eyes shut and shuddered against the hard pillow supporting his head. Astrid grabbed his hand in an attempt to soothe him, noticing that there were heavy bags under his eyes and his skin was getting paler by the minute. Planning on leaving her friend in peace soon, she softened her voice.

"Hiccup, can you promise me something?", she muttered. Hiccup made a noise in response that sounded something between a cough and a moan. "Please never out yourself in that much danger again." He hesitated before responding, before opening his eyes slightly and whispering, "I'll try".

As Astrid went to head out the hospital, she ran into Valka and Stoick, who were armed with an overnight bag and some keepsakes for their son. Stoick looked extremely tired and irritable, stroking his beard as he acknowledged her. Valka, on the other hand, offered the girl a sincere smile and a hug.

"Hi Astrid! How is he this afternoon?", Valka asked warmly, her long hair brushing against her cheek. Astrid shrugged. "He's in a lot of pain, but I'm guessing he'll just work his way through it". Valka's smile lowered a little as she nodded, looking down wearily at the bag she had over her shoulder. "Yes, I expect so. Anyway, I'm glad I've run into, as I have something I want you to look at!". At that, Stoick rummaged through a plastic carrier he was holding and pulled out a camera-Hiccup's camera. He passed the heavy article to Astrid, and she examined it carefully. It was worn and plastic had been chipped off on impact, but it functioned. The red LED switched on and a loud humming noise ensued from the device.

"I wondered whether you could see if there was anything…interesting on it. You kids are more tech savvy than we are." Astrid rubbed her neck, seemingly debating the impact of taking on this task. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to see her friend fall to a near-death in a grainy recording. Still though, the investigative spark in her was calling. "I'll do it", she said finally. Valka smiled. "Great! And just so you know…if you ever need us, you know where we are. After all you've done for Hiccup…". The couple then continued on down the corridor, leaving Astrid with her school bag over her shoulder and a camera that had seen better days.

Astrid stood for a moment, debating her next cause of action. Then she had an idea. She fumbled for her phone and called the second person in her directory: Jack. The phone rang three times, but as she was about to hang up, Jack answered.

"Hey, whatsup?", a smooth voice responded in a rattled tone. Astrid scoffed; it sounded like he'd been asleep.

"Hey Jack. I just wondered if you were busy…I've got Hiccup's camera and I don't really want to watch the footage alone, so…"

The line went silent momentarily, as Jack seemed to contemplate the implications of this. Astrid waited on the line nervously, but fortunately she didn't have to wait long.

"Sure. Okay. Do you want to come over to mine? I can text you my address?". Astrid breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, okay. In like half an hour?"

"It's a date", Jack laughed, and Astrid laughed too. They exchanged quick goodbyes before hanging up. Texting her mum that she was going to see a friend and would be back late, Astrid went out onto the cold street, where the winter sun was already setting and streetlights lit the icy streets. Huddling close to her coat, she wished she had dressed more appropriately for the weather. A loud ping emitted from her phone, revealing the location of Jack's house, and she sighed when she saw that it was a two mile walk in the opposite direction of her home. Untangling her headphones from her back, she plugged in some music and made her way to his house on the other side of town.

Jack and his parents did not live in one of the nice suburban houses Astrid was used to. Instead, he lived in a flat on a dreary estate made up of rows of the same grey buildings. It was pitch black by the tine she had reached the bottom of the staircase leading up to her new friends home, and she ran up the stairs as quickly and quietly as she could, as not to cause any attention. Fortunately, inside of Jack's flat was welcoming. There seemed to only be Jack in, as apparently the rest of his family "were out for a meal".

Astrid entered the property, looking at the mis-matched décor and Christmas decorations that had begun to go up on the wall. The table was covered in dirty dishes and washing; Jack seemed to be conscious of her looking and mumbled something about "sorting it later". At the bottom of the living space was a door, and the pair entered Jack's bedroom. It was a simple lay-out, with a single bed by the window, a dresser and a desk with a desktop computer opposite.

"And this is where the magic happens", Jack said proudly. Astrid scoffed and crossed her arms. "So, lets see what's on this camera shall we?"

Extracting the video footage took a few attempts, but eventually the pair found what they were looking for. There was sixteen minutes and twenty-two seconds of Hiccup wandering around the mall, when suddenly he stops. Then he runs, the camera drops over the bannister and it stops. A sickening scream can be heard, but the impact hadn't been filmed. The camera had stopped working the second it had hit the ground. It was almost disappointing.

"I don't really know what to make of this to be honest", Astrid remarked when it was over. "I just think that there has to be more to it. He literally just freaked out and fell". Jack nodded, seemingly deep in thought.

"Wait. I think I have an idea of how we can use this", he said finally. Astrid sat up and twirled her hair.

"Okay. I'm listening."


End file.
